Jinwook, dressed in a well-tailored suit, stood inside the hotel banquet hall. Many people had gathered there to celebrate the anniversary of the founding of the LM Group. Not only LM Group employees and officials but also prominent figures from various industries were present.
Jinwook was standing in one corner with a seemingly reluctant expression on his face. He avoided eye contact with anyone, and when someone approached him, he offered only brief greetings before turning away. His expression seemed as if his thoughts were elsewhere.
At that moment, he heard someone calling his name. A bit away, Aran was calling him, gesturing toward a person standing next to her. Aran, wearing an elegant dress, spoke.
“Jinwook, do you remember Mihee?”
Aran pointed to the person standing right next to her. It was a young woman, dressed up, and the daughter of a rising IT group these days.
Seeing Jinwook’s lack of reaction, Aran hurriedly spoke again.
“We met a few times when you were young, but it’s been so long that you probably don’t remember. I heard she graduated and came to Korea.”
Aran tried to create a friendly atmosphere by finding common ground with Jinwook, but his expression remained cold.
“People who graduated from that university are everywhere. How can I remember everyone when we weren’t even in the same year?”
“Even if you don’t remember, aren’t you glad to see her? I’m so impressed to see Mihee, whom I saw when she was young, turned into such a beautiful lady. Hoho.”
Aran tried to maintain the cheerful atmosphere until the end, but Jinwook didn’t even give a glance to the woman standing across from him. Then, as if feeling frustrated, he walked straight toward the terrace.
On the terrace, Jinwook looked up at the sky. Due to the banquet hall being located on the top floor of the hotel, the night view of the city bathed in city lights was clearly visible from the terrace.
As soon as he came out, Jinwook searched for a lighter and cigarettes. Irritation arose. It seemed that the refreshing breeze couldn’t solve the stifling feeling in his chest.
“Jinwook. Do you remember Mihee?”
The inner thoughts of Aran, who introduced a financially stable, marriageable woman, were obvious. It was so obvious that it was disgusting.
How long had it been since Yeonju disappeared?
Jinwook lit the cigarette after taking a puff. It had been a habit he quit since marrying Yeonju, but he started again about a month ago.
The hazy smoke dispersed into the air. Jinwook exhaled a long breath, gazing at the city from the terrace. The city was wrapped in various colored lights.
It was a familiar sight. When he wondered where he had seen it before, he realized that it was the hotel where he spent the first night with Yeonju.
That night, he recalled the image of Yeonju, who stood nervously with a tense face.
The face that barely managed to sit next to me, the face that blushed at a small gesture, the face that became red in the heat…
Vividly, as if experiencing the events of last night again. While Yeonju was so vivid in his mind, it seemed that his family had already forgotten her.
No matter where he went or what he did, Yeonju’s image appeared, but no one asked about her.
It had been three months since Yeonju disappeared. During this time, he had learned that she took a train from Austria to Germany, but there was no other information.
Like tobacco leaves burning, his chest felt stifled. At that moment, he felt a presence behind him.
Click-clack, the sound of high-heeled shoes echoed. And a rich fragrance wafted through the wind.
The person who entered the terrace, where Jinwook was alone, was none other than Chaerin. Taking a seat beside him, Chaerin greeted him.
“Long time no see.”
After flicking the ashes off his cigarette, Jinwook nodded briefly in response to the greeting.
Chaerin, seemingly glancing at the night view for a moment, asked casually.
“When will Ms. Yeonju return?”
“…”
“For a trip, isn’t it taking too long?”
Except for Aran, Hongseok, and Haeyeong, everyone believed that Yeonju was still on her trip. Of course, some people questioned her sudden departure, and various rumors circulated among them.
Among those rumors, the one about a separation and an impending divorce was the most profound.
Jinwook responded firmly to Chaerin’s question.
“She will be back soon.”
Despite the strong tone, Chaerin could sense darkness in his eyes and inwardly chuckled.
Chaerin’s gaze scanned Jinwook’s face. The slender profile illuminated by the moonlight was stunningly beautiful.
The wide-open shoulders and the dignified figure drew attention, and the well-hidden robust physique could be faintly felt.
Chaerin’s pupils darkened as they gazed at him. The more she looked, the more she desired. If only it weren’t for Yeonju… he could have been hers.
And now, with Yeonju gone, his side was practically vacant.
Leaning a bit closer, Chaerin spoke.
“It must have been lonely for a long time; your heart must be heavy.”
“…”
The Villainous Demon Lord Laid an Egg for Her (Female-Dominated)
Several months after transmigrating into a book, Yu Wu found herself facing the demon lord Li You, who could no longer conceal his dragon horns. With one hand on her aching waist and the other gripping a sharp sword, she stared at him.
The demon lord’s eyes were red with fury:
“This is all your doing! Today, I won’t rest until I kill you!”
Yu Wu rubbed her temples. Putting aside the taboo against bloodshed during pregnancy, wasn’t it this very man who willingly walked into her trap that day?!
Warnings:
- Male pregnancy.
- Height ratios are set to mirror typical male-female height proportions.
- Characters include a foot-loving demon lord and an eldest daughter from an immortal family’s concubine lineage.
